When Covid altered the work paradigm by creating the work-from-home option, gig took on a whole new meaning for white collar jobs. Before the pandemic, the gig economy had started to come into its own primarily for blue collar jobs in app-based or online platforms, such as Zomato, Swiggy, Ola and e-commerce retailers. White collar gig jobs were still teetering on the brink of probability. During Covid, when white collar employees lost jobs en masse or worked remotely, their gig dreams took wing. In the past couple of years, such jobs have surged because of the people who had shifted to their hometowns and did not want to return; those who acquired multiple income streams working as consultants; the ones who loved flexible timings and hated their 9-5 jobs; or the ones who simply wanted to achieve a better work-life balance.

Gig jobs that require high qualification and skillset have now become a possibility. Take Himank Bhalla, a Delhi-based software engineer, who is currently a contract worker with a US-based startup, and also loves to mentor and teach. During Covid, he left his regular job and moved to another one to work remotely. “At this time, I also took up short-term projects, and in 2022 shifted to this global company,” says the 28-year-old. An income that is four times his earlier salary, and the time to mentor and pursue his hobbies means he has no intention of going back to an offline job in the near future.

While there are many workers like Bhalla who are raring to rake in the gig gains, is it really a feasible option given the short-term earning model? “The sustainability in the long term can be complex and largely depends on an individual’s ability to manage challenges like income volatility, lack of traditional benefits, and the need for self-discipline in managing finances and work schedules. Government policies and industry trends will also play a significant role in the overall sustainability,” says Sekhar Garisa, CEO, foundit. In light of the sharp surge in white collar gig opportunities in the past couple of years, our cover story this week considers not only the feasibility of this option, but also the advantages and ways of maximising one’s earning potential.

Top white collar gig jobs are in IT

Where are the top white collar gig jobs?
While a report by Niti Aayog pegs the total gig workforce in the country at 7.7 million and set to rise to 23.5 million by 2029-30, the growth in demand for white collar gig workers is much faster. These jobs grew by 11% in March 2023 compared to a year ago, and have surged 135% since January 2023, according to foundit Insights Tracker report. “Global uncertainties and financial constraints have emerged as the primary catalysts for gig economy’s growth. Employers are prioritising hiring strategies that align with their immediate staffing needs and specific skill requirements, ideally filled by gig jobs,” says Garisa.

Agrees Rohit Gupta, Senior Vice-President, Demand, Awign, a work-as-aservice platform. “We have seen a rise of almost 2.5 times year-on-year in the white collar gig jobs, and 90% of these are in the technology sector. There is also a demand for roles in tech-related areas such as adoption consultants and trainers,” he says. A report by NASSCOM, Indeed and Aon states that after the pandemic, the share of Indian tech companies hiring gig workers rose from 57% in 2020 to 65% in 2022. Roles like software developer/coder, IT consultant, content creator, UX/UI designer, videographer, data analyst, data scientist, Golang developer, full stack developer, cloud engineer and Web-3 technology worker have a seen a high demand in gig roles over the past two years.

“When it comes to the demand for white collar gig workers, the IT industry is at the forefront, particularly in areas such as data science and fintech, where specialised skills are highly sought after,” says Siva Prasad Nanduri, CEO of DTL, an IT staffing firm. In the non-IT sectors, the demand is high in recruitment, retail, advertising and marketing, healthcare, consulting, e-learning and ed-tech, travel, customer support, content creation, operations and engineering.

To cater to this surge in demand, various gig platforms have mushroomed over the past couple of years, including GigVistas, Flexiple, Workflexi, Awign, Trulancer, Gigforce, and TaskMo, among many others. Most of these platforms offer free service to gig workers, while charging a fee, commission or subscription fee from companies. However, there is often a mismatch in demand and supply. “The demand for white collar gigs is often two times higher than the right supply. While businesses have been quick to utilise gig economy to variablise costs and ensure quality outcome, the talent pool is still picking up pace in terms of upskilling,” says Gupta of Awign.

PROS & CONS OF WHITE COLLAR GIG JOBS
Take a decision after considering the advantages and challenges of freelancing.
BENEFITS
FLEXIBLE TIMING
You can work at your own pace, without the 9-5 constraint.
REMOTE WORK
You can work for any company worldwide. You also save time and money on commuting.
MULTIPLE INCOME STREAMS
Working on various projects, or niche skills can bring higher income.
TAX BENEFITS
You can avail of deductions for legitimate business expenses or presumptive income under Section 44ADA.
HIGHER IN-HAND INCOME
Since there are no PF, gratuity, insurance or tax cuts, the inhand income is higher.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
You decide the time you want to allocate to work, family and other pursuits, at will.

DRAWBACKS
IRREGULAR INCOME
You do not get an income on a regular basis.
NO SAFETY NETS, PERKS
There is no insurance, allowance, PF or gratuity from the employer.
SECURING WORK
You need to make an effort to secure new projects consistently.
OVERHEAD COSTS
You spend your own money on infrastructure, IT, utilities, marketing and networking.
UPSKILLING COSTS
You will have to spend to keep pace with changes or to specialise in a particular field.
PAYMENTS
It may not always be possible to ensure timely payments, especially after the project is completed.

What is the remuneration?
The remuneration of white collar gig workers depends on various factors, such as experience, quality of past work, expertise, and quantum of work. “Besides these hygiene factors, the pay also depends on niche skills like those needed in emerging technologies, or willingness to work in different global time zones, or make onsite visits. These can get a premium of 25-50%,” says Gupta. In fact, bigger companies are often open to paying premium rates for exceptional talent even if they have predefined budgets.

“There are standard industry benchmarks and rates can be on a per hour or per project basis. Of course, when you start, your income won’t be as stable as a salary in a regular job, and a lot will depend on your skills and networking abilities. But if you are confident about your outcome, the money can be 5-10 times your salary in a regular job,” says Neeti Sharma, Co-Founder and President, TeamLease Edtech. The pay structure can also be for a specific duration and output, or open-ended. On an average, the pay is around Rs.1 lakh per month.

According to Awign, the entry level remuneration for tech jobs ranges from Rs.25,000-50,000 a month, while that for mid-level it is Rs.50,000-1 lakh, and for senior level,it varies from Rs.1-5 lakh a month. For non-tech projects, the remuneration is lesser, from Rs.25,000-1.5 lakh. Some gig platforms also manage the payroll so that the worker doesn’t have to deal with the employer directly. Typically, it’s a monthly payment as far as gig platforms are concerned, but if the worker is dealing with the company directly through a contract, it could be based on milestones and outcomes achieved, or after the job is completed. Sonia Chauhan, a Chandigarhbased corporate lawyer, who is also a professional technical writer, prefers to charge her legal clients an upfront fee for each case, but usually gets paid later for her writing assignments.

SONIA CHAUHAN

35 years, Chandigarh
GIG WORK (2018-present)
Corporate lawyer & professional writer
SALARIED JOB (2010-2018)
Full-time employee in law firms
RISE IN INCOME
4x
CHALLENGES
Gender bias, missed payments
WHY I MOVED TO GIG...
"I wanted to write, meet people, and get away from the repetitive tedium of a job.”
FINANCIAL SECURITY
Health insurance
Rs.15 lakh
Emergency corpus
Rs.10 lakh

What are the advantages?
While gig work provides very high earning potential to those with the right skills, it also offers the luxury of working remotely, global reach, flexible timings, pursuing varied job options (see Pros & Cons) and enjoying tax benefits. Little wonder then that almost 50% of the companies are looking for gig workers for their shortterm projects, claims Garisa. These are some of the reasons gig workers like Bhalla and Chauhan do not want to go back to salaried jobs. “I may have to take a salary cut if I go for a regular job in Delhi, or will have to shift to another city to retain my existing pay scale,” says Bhalla. Chauhan, meanwhile, loves to supplement her income from legal cases with technical writing. Despite the fact that she gets paid much lesser in such projects, she loves to write and take up such work, she says. “Not only am I earning nearly double of what I used to in my regular job, but more importantly, I get to travel a lot and can decide when I want to work,” says Pallavi Pasricha, a travel writer and influencer, who used to work with Lonely Planet in a 9-5 job before she turned to gigs.

HIMANK BHALLA

28 years, Delhi
GIG WORK (2020-present)
Software engineer, mentor & teacher SALARIED JOB (2017-2020)
Full-time employee in tech firm
RISE IN INCOME
4x
CHALLENGES
Work discipline, lack of interaction
FINANCIAL SECURITY
Health insurance
Rs.10 lakh
Emergency corpus
Rs.10 lakh
WHY I MOVED TO GIG...
"I started working remotely during Covid, but now I like the work-life balance and higher income.”

What are the challenges?
Despite the palpable gains from white collar gig work, the challenges are aplenty. “In a regular job, you are outsourcing all other activities except the core skill to other departments, be it the running of business, marketing to get work, or legal work, making it much easier for you,” says Devashish Chakravarty, Career Coach, Mentor and author of Yoursortinghat.com. This is not the case when you are on your own.
Maintaining work-income flow: The biggest hurdle is ensuring a regular flow of projects and income, especially for entry-level workers. “If you have the right skills in your domain, the earning potential is very high, but you will not get it every week or month, and there could be lull periods. You will need to ensure that you are continuously out there,” says Sharma. The tenure of technology gigs typically ranges from 3-15 months, with a median of six months, while for non-tech jobs, it is even lesser, ranging from 1-3 months. This means that one has to be proactive and on one’s toes at all times to seek fresh work.
Getting entry-level projects: While online platforms are good for those seeking tech jobs, or those with specialised skills and experience, it is often difficult to land projects for entry-level, non-tech workers. “The predominant trend in IT industry is hiring of gig workers at a specialist level rather than entry level due to the demand for subject matter experts (SMEs) who can quickly and effectively tackle complex projects,” says Nanduri. “It’s a vicious cycle because you cannot get the experience demanded on these platforms until you get the projects, and you can’t get the projects if you don’t have experience,” says Chauhan.
No employee benefits, bank loans: In the absence of benefits like health insurance, allowances and PF contributions, gig workers have to ensure their financial security by buying independent health and life insurance, maintaining a contingency fund and saving aggressively for their goals. It is also very difficult for them to secure loans from banks and NBFCs since they are not permanent employees, though personal loans and those from private companies are available to them.
No labour laws: No labour laws for gig workers, both white and blue collar, means that you are not entitled to minimum wages, accident compensation or social security, though some states like Rajasthan and Karnataka have now taken steps to enhance their rights. “Since they do not have the legal status of an employee, this also leads to an inability to establish unions for collective representation of their interests and exposure to exploitative contractual arrangements,” says Garisa.
Ensuring timely payments: Another big problem for freelancers, especially if they are working independently, is securing full payments on time. “While international publications offer better rates and always pay on time, in India, payments are delayed, often by a few weeks,” says Pasricha. There is no redressal unless one has a written contract, and even then, an individual usually doesn’t have the financial heft to take on a big company.
No interaction: In an organised workplace you can talk to people, get their inputs, and vent stress or frustration, but for gig workers working remotely, it can be difficult to retain creativity without any human interaction.

PALLAVI PASRICHA

41 years, Gurugram
GIG WORK (2017-present)
Travel writer & travel/food influencer SALARIED JOB (2006-2017)
Full-time employee with Lonely Planet, other mainstream dailies
RISE IN INCOME
2x
CHALLENGES
Missed & delayed payments, irregular salary
FINANCIAL SECURITY
Health insurance
Rs.50 lakh
Emergency corpus
N/A
WHY I MOVED TO GIG...
"I did not like the 9-5 schedule as I wanted to travel and work at my own pace.”

Is white collar gig job for you?
Despite its many attractions, a white collar gig job may not be for everyone. The restrictive flow of remuneration and lack of employee benefits mean that it’s only for people at a specific age and life stage for whom money is not the primary objective, or for those with time or location constraints. It will be difficult to sustain yourself financially if you have a family and dependants, with fixed expenses like loan EMIs, school feels, insurance premiums or mutual fund SIPs.

Financial goals of children’s education or your own retirement that require consistent, long-term savings and investments may not be possible with an intermittent income from short-term contracts and gig projects. On the other hand, white collar gig may be the right fit for you if you are unable to do a regular job requiring physical presence. “Financial sustainability may not even be the critical requirement for every person. For some people it may not be possible to do a standard, full-time job,” says Chakravarty. White collar gigs may be a good option under the following circumstances:
If you have financial stability: If you are in your 50s, have built a sufficient corpus, with most goals nearing completion, and are looking for a better work-life balance, white collar gigs like consultancy or advisory roles with multiple companies may be a good option.
If you have primary income: If your spouse has a fixed income job and is the primary breadwinner, or you are staying with your parents who take care of basic household expenses, picking up a white collar gig job may be a good way to earn supplementary income, especially if you do not like the tedium of a 9-5 job. “It was easy for me to move to gig jobs because my husband is a driven worker and will always be a full-time primary provider, whereas I did not like the tedium of my regular corporate law job,” says Chauhan. “Unlike the previous generation, the current generation does not have to earn for survival. Moreover, for the younger generation, it’s a good stop-gap arrangement that pays well till they find a permanent job,” says Sharma.
If you have constraints: “If you have other critical priorities that require physical presence, say, looking after a patient or being a caregiver at home, you will not be able to take up a full-time job and gig may be a good option,” says Chakravarty.
If you have niche skills: For people with specialised skills, especially in tech industry, and those who are constantly upskilling themselves, the job demand is unlikely to recede in the near future. They can not only be assured of a constant income flow, but can also return to the security of a regular job, if needed.

How to increase your gig income
JOIN GIG PLATFORMS
Sign in with multiple online gig platforms like GigVistas, GigIndia, Awign, TaskMo, Flexiple, Workflexi, Trulancer, Gigforce to increase your chances of landing a job. Higher experience will get you more projects and jobs.
REVISE RATES
Know your worth and be aware of the market rate. For specialised skill or high credibility, you can charge higher than the market rates. As you gain experience, increase your rates.
ASK FOR UPFRONT PAYMENT
If you are confident of your skills and to avoid delayed payments, it’s better to take upfront payment or link it to work milestones and progress of your work.
FOOLPROOF CONTRACT
To avoid missed payments, make sure your contract specifies the time and manner of payment, and interest or penalty for delayed payments.
NETWORK
Interact with people in your job community, both online and offline. Showcase your work on professional job sites like LinkedIn and attend workshops, seminars and conferences. Word of mouth recommendations often help to get more work.
BUILD CREDIBILITY
Your ability to deliver flawless, timely work, combined with good worth ethic, will enable you to get more projects from the same company. Build such rapport with multiple companies.
HONE NICHE SKILLS
Highly specialised skills, especially in IT, always fetch better income. So invest in degrees, courses and certification that will improve your niche skills.
KEEP UP, UPSKILL
Keep pace with the changes in technology and developments in your field by upskilling yourself through online or offline courses.

How to maximise earnings
Though certain white collar gig jobs command higher remuneration, it may not be possible to do so on a consistent basis in many non-tech sectors or for different work profiles. Here are some steps you can take to ensure a smooth, increasing flow of income.
Be proactive & upskill: Be on your toes, diversify and hone your skills, ensure a good online presence and be a part of professional networks to increase visibility and ensure a continuous flow of work.
Gig platforms: For starters, it is a good idea to join such platforms because they not only aggregate demand and supply, but also have a say in payments and can smoothen the entire payment process. While it may be difficult to get work initially, some of these platforms help gig workers to upskill and meet the demands of clients.
Work ethic & rapport: “The reason my clients keep coming back to me is that I have a very good work ethic and maintain my relationships well,” says Chauhan. This can be crucial for income flow because you will keep getting repeat projects from the same company. Cultivate strong client relationships through the delivery of high-quality work, adherence to deadlines and transparent communication to build trust and get continuous work.
Detailed contract: “If you have a contract, it is critical to define the terms and outcomes in black and white, and link it to your payments,” says Sharma. Be clear about payment, schedules, due dates and methods of payment. “For longer projects, requesting an initial deposit or retainer before starting work ensures that you receive at least a portion of payment upfront, reducing the risk of non-payment,” says Garisa. One can also consider including late payment penalty clause in the contract.
Know the rates: Find out how much money you should command, be it independently or through a gig platform. As you gain experience, you can keep increasing your rates. You can begin by researching what other freelancers with similar skills and experience are charging for comparable services to know the prevailing rates. “Initially, you may need to experiment with pricing strategy. Start with rates you believe are fair and adjust them based on client feedback and market responses,” says Garisa.